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NSLDS Data Conflict Resolution

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This Session Will Provide an introduction to NSLDS Define conflicts Demonstrate how the Data

Correction Process functions Explain how to resolve conflicts Share feedback

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What is NSLDS? National Student Loan Data System National database of federal loans &

grants awarded under Title IV of the Higher Ed Act of 1965, as amended

Data loading began in 1994 School online access granted in 1996 Web access available in 1999

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NSLDS Goals Reduce burden, costs, and errors in

aid administration Minimize abuse within aid programs Create central database of highly

reliable, accessible data• Plan and budget• Program coordination and control• Research

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NSLDS Content 51,824,865 Students174,485,638 Loans (FFEL, Direct, Perkins) 39,987,662 Pell Grants (1993-current) 45,293,719 School Branches 18,407 Schools 31,376 Lenders 60 Guaranty Agencies

*As of 06/30/2004

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Direct Loan Servicer

FDLP Loan InformationPerkins Schools

Debt CollectionService

Lenders/Servicers

CPS

GAs

All Schools

PEPS

Pell Grant Program

Perkins Loan Information

FFEL Loan Information

Loans assigned to EDLender and Lender Servicer Data

Aid OverpaymentsPell GrantInformation

Aid OverpaymentsStudent EnrollmentTransfer Students

School Demographic Data

Student Demographic Data

Lars

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Timing of Data Feeds

Daily:PellPEPSCPS

DemographicSchool DataLender Data

Flexible Schedules:Guaranty Agencies

Weekly:Debt CollectionsDirect Loan

Monthly:Perkins

Schools

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NSLDS Users Colleges, universities, and trade schools Students and borrowers ED Lenders Guaranty agencies State agencies ED contractors Other Federal Government agencies

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Data Correction Process

Established in November 2001

Reduce burden for FAAs Central location for resolving data conflicts Responsible for negotiating with data

providers In some cases, allowing NSLDS to become

the data provider of last resort

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How It Works

School reports conflict to the NSLDS Call Center to research

School provides acceptable documentation

The NSLDS Call Center negotiates with data providers

Notification is made of resolution

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Defining a Conflict

Discrepancies that affect aid eligibility Incorrect identifiers in NSLDS

• First name• Date of birth• Social Security Number

Incorrect statuses Incorrect amounts Duplicated records

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What is NOT a Conflict?

Current year Pell issues Incorrect middle or last name Incorrect information in history Loan status that has recently changed Loan status that does not affect eligibility

– Such as CA status Aggregate determination for Consolidations

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Example of Duplicated Record

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Requesting Removal of Duplicate Loan

Loan to nullify:– Loan Type– Loan Date– Loan Amount– OPEID on loan– Sep. Loan Ind.

Loan to "keep":– Loan Type– Loan Date– Loan Amount– OPEID on loan– Sep. Loan Ind.

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Example of Name History

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How Does a Conflict Occur?

Examples: Typo Incorrect FAFSA Fraud or identity theft Rejected record Loan assigned incorrectly

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Reporting a Conflict

Call 1-800-999-8219 and select option #3

Email nslds@Pearson.com

Experts available 8:00-9:00 Eastern

For Financial Aid professionals only

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FFEL Consolidation Loans

NSLDS Determines Aggregates – NSLDS Newsletter #6

Available at www.ifap.ed.gov under NSLDS Reference Materials

– Dear Colleague Letter Gen 96-13 Available at www.ifap.ed.gov under

archived publications Questions #52-#55

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Students

Can go to www.nslds.ed.gov Must have valid PIN www.pin.ed.gov (PIN Request) Identifier conflicts will prevent

viewing

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When Students Contact the NSLDS Call Center Directly

They will be: Referred to their current school If no current school is available they are

referred to www.nslds.ed.gov or Federal Student Aid Information Center (800-4FEDAID) for Current Loan Holder

If the loan holder is closed they are referred to Ombudsman Office (877-557-2575) as a last resort

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Documentation Requirements

Verification of correct data Fax or email doco to NSLDS:

– Fax: 785-838-2154

– Email: nslds@Pearson.com

NSLDS tracking number required

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Acceptable Documentation

Incorrect Social Security Number

Social Security Card Current driver’s license W-2 form Payroll check or check stub Current U.S. Military ID State ID

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Acceptable Documentation

Incorrect date of birth Birth certificate Current driver’s license Passport Current Military ID State ID Alien registration card

(Form I-551 or I-151)

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Acceptable Documentation

Incorrect first name Social security card Current driver’s license Birth certificate U.S certificate of naturalization Court order Marriage certificate Divorce decree

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Acceptable Documentation

Incorrect first name –continued W-2 Form Passport Current U.S. Military ID State ID U.S. Military discharge papers U.S. Certificate of Citizenship Alien Registration Card Adoption paperwork

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ExceptionsDirect Loan Name Change

Must provide court decree proving name change

Will not accept SSN card, requires birth certificate to change name to real name

Certification of Naturalization Cannot have “AKA” prior to

name

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Acceptable Documentation

Incorrect status or amount

Letter from loan/overpayment holder Paid in full promissory note

Cancelled checks and/or money order receipts are not acceptable

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Resolution Takes Time

Waiting on documentation Negotiations Closed data providers Backlog of cases Dependent on data provider’s submittal

schedules and cooperation

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Awarding Students

Dear Colleague Letter GEN 96-13

– Available at www.ifap.ed.gov under archived publications

Question #26 Question #37

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Resolution Time Reduced

Online updating for guaranty agencies Increase of submittal frequency Templates for guaranty agencies Overpayment online updating for DCS Data provider of last resort

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Proactive Data Integrity Gets Results

Benchmark reports for Data Providers Data Integrity Alerts for FFEL Data

Providers Special assistance and schedules when

Data Providers need to make corrections to data

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Proactive Data Integrity Gets Results

Our goal is to find the problem, research the problem and prevent the problem from occurring again.

In 2002: 90,000 FFEL duplicates cancelled 1,300   DLSS duplicates cancelled 11,000 DCS duplicates cancelled 30,000  Perkins duplicates nullified  In 2003  25,000 FFEL duplicates cancelled 49,000 Perkins duplicates nullified

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Reduction in ISIR Code #138

No code sent if no relevant data in NSLDS No code sent if CPS sends NSLDS 0’s for

Date of birth

Resulting in a 75% reduction in #138 codes– 2000-01 147,872 codes sent– 2001-02 78,419 codes sent– 2002-03 38,450 codes sent– 2003-04 39,563 codes sent

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Progress

Over 2000 different schools have called in a case to the NSLDS Call Center

The Data Correction Process has corrected 11,284 individual borrower or Pell recipient records.

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“Thanks to all the folks in NSLDS CCC. You have made my job so much easier....you guys are the best "go between gang" (meaning you get things done by going between the schools and the guarantee agency/lender/DLSC/DCS) and on behalf of my students, thank you !”

Tara Jackson,

Financial Aid Coordinator – Loans

Kent State University

Feedback

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More Feedback “I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the

outstanding service I received recently from the Customer Care Contract to resolve an issue effecting Title IV Eligibility. I began working on this issue in July and there was not any resolve to the problem until the CCC department became involved on 9/13/02. Today (9/18), I was able to verify the issue had been resolved and NSLDS properly updated to reflect correct status of borrower's loans. I will definitely call upon CCC in the future to research and resolve issues updating NSLDS loan status which I am unsuccessful in resolving. Thanks.”

Mary Ammons ECPI College of Technology

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“I am the Regulatory Compliance Manager for the Keiser Collegiate System in Florida. I have been in the financial aid profession for over 25 years and have had many opportunities to speak with various agencies about problems with students and their financial aid. I speak to someone on the staff at the NSLDS Conflict Resolution Department quite frequently, which is the reason for this e-mail. I wish I remembered the names of the two people I have spoken to within the last week but I don't. However, today I spoke with Regina, who was extremely helpful in solving a problem we had with one of our prior students whose financial aid at his current school is being held up because of a reporting error on our end. We have been trying to get the problem resolved with OSFA and the University of Phoenix with no luck until I called and spoke to Regina. Within 20 minutes, she had called OSFA and gotten the problem resolved resulting in a very happy and relieved student.This is not an unusual occurrence when dealing with your department. I have never had a complaint about anyone on your staff and I never hesitate to call NSLDS because you always help us resolve our problems. The staff members that I have spoken to in the past have always been courteous, cooperative and helpful. Please relay our thanks to your department and let them know that their work is truly appreciated by those of us at the other end of the phone. ”Carol ClaremontRegulatory Compliance Manager, Office of the ChancellorKeiser College

More Feedback

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Contact Information

1-800-999-8219 Option #3

Fax: 785-838-2154

nslds@Pearson.com

www.nsldsfap.ed.gov for professionals

www.nslds.ed.gov for students

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Discussion and Questions